Prom with New Visions!

Over this past weekend, my New Visions classmates and I attended Sharon Springs' prom!

Here are a few pictures of us!

Maddie, Me, Desirae

George, Lindsey, Julianna, & Myself..Getting Jiggy with it!

Smile Ladies

Maddie & Myself

The Girls
We Look Pretty!

Making History..One Play at a Time!

This is the first year the Cohoes Varsity Softball Team are playing into June. In fact, it is the first time the team has worked together making history in their school. The team including myself, won Section II, Class B Sectionals, and are now moving on to states. It is the farthest any softball team has made in Cohoes history.

The team consists of 14 athletes; 3 seniors, 7 juniors, 3 sophomores and one lucky coach. Coach Frank Ryan has coached other sectional winners such as girls track and boys basketball for Cohoes and now he can add girls softball to the list. He pushes us to improve and all of the girls including myself feel that if it were not for him, the team would not have succeeded to become Class B champions.

The softball team didn't expect to reach the final game, our goal was to make it to the second round. The farthest a Cohoes softball team has made was the first round. The first team the Tigers played was Broadalbin- Perth, the second round Schuylerville, and the team cleared the path to the championship by crushing the seventh seeded Greenville 13 to 2. It came down to the first seeded Chatom against the almighty sixth seeded Cohoes. After 20 hits by the Tigers and no strike outs, we won 14 to 1. It was an amazing game and will go down in history.

My team will never forget the feeling of winning a title for our school. We will always remember the hard work and sweat we put into that game, and the warm hugs we received when the last out occurred. The white patches will never go out of style, along with the banner that will be hung in our school gym. We will know that the 2007, the only year on the banner, is there because we put it there; and when we are old and are at our children's games, we can tell them that that number is ours.

Will Jordin Sparkle; or will it be Blake?

There is only two finalists left in the sixth season of American Idol. The 17-year-old Jordin Sparks and the beat boxer Blake Lewis. Both have an equal advantage to win the American dream.

Jordin is young and gorgeous with an amazing voice. Blake is studly with more of a alternative voice. He is more of an entertainer.

American Idol show is about the singing voice, if Americans voted solely on the tone and how well the songs were sung, Jordin would be the next American Idol. However, if Americans voted mostly on stage presents and entertainment purposes, Blake would take the cake!

So who will it be? The girl who gives everybody goosebumps when she sings? or the guy who beat boxes into everyones heart?

The Shingles Effect.

Herpes Zoster Virus also known as shingles, is a painful skin rash that adults get after having a mild case of the chickenpox as a child. In about 1 out of 5 people, the virus "wakes up," often many years after the chickenpox infection. The virus then travels along a sensory nerve into the skin causing a painful rash known as shingles.

Anyone who has had the chickenpox infection or vaccine can get shingles and the majority of people that get shingles are healthy. Nobody knows the causes of shingles or chickenpox however it is known that stress, fatigue, weak immune systems, cancer, radiation treatment, and injury to the skin where the rash occur are factors for the activation of the virus.

The first symptom of shingles is extreme sensitivity of the skin, itching, and burning. After 1 to 3 days red bumps and blisters appear where the pain occurred and will fill with pus and scabbing will last for a couple of weeks. Scars may also erupt.

Shingles can be treated with antivirus medication if caught early, and sometimes pain medication. There is no way to prevent shingles, a person can not contract the virus from a person with shingles only if that person has not yet had the chickenpox. The chickenpox vaccine can reduce a person from getting shingles by strengthening the immune system to fight off the virus or inactivate it.

Naming the Baby Already?

A new method of determining the sex of a fetus has been produced. It is now capable for couples to take a home test to reveal the sex of a fetus at only 6 weeks. The fear of many is the idea of more abortions occuring because of an unwanted gender.

The normal period for determining the sex of an unborn baby is 20 weeks; four weeks before the legal limit for abortion. The Pink or Blue Early Test Kit, launched on the internet by DNA Worldwide, is claimed to be 98 per cent reliable.

The procedure of this test is getting a small blood sample on a filter paper from the mother, the mother then sends the sample to science labs followed by scientists looking for the Y chromosome found in males only. This test works because an unborn baby’s DNA is present in the mother for six weeks.

This gender test is absured, why would the parents of the unborn baby want to know the sex so soon? Do they need the time to paint the babies room this early? I'm sure the parents could wait an extra month or so to find out the sex. During the first six weeks they should just be celebrating the idea of having a life to care for.

Dolls are too Sexy?

The wildly popular Bratz Dolls owned by MGA Entertainment now have a new fashion sense. The fashionistas are now sporting low rise jeans and halter tops targeting girls from ages 7 to 11 years old. Many critics argue its not what young girls should be looking at because girls as young as 4 are harping on their parents for the dolls. These children are getting ideas to wear on their first day of kindergarten, trying to look older, similar to the teen girls.

On the older hand, the company states that children don't see everything as sex similar to adults. It says girls will see the dolls as beautiful, unique, and creative.

Experts have their own opinion, stating that when girls play with generic dolls they have the ability to be creative yet with the "sexy" Bratz dolls their creatively is altered and they develop the idea of what the dolls are about and the roles they should carry.

With the high- fashioned celebrities and the media portraying what the average person should look like, different perspectives are taken out of context. Young girls view celebrities and band groups with the belly-showing, low-cut outfits and see what they need to look like and act. With the growing number of provocative clothing being produced, girls will have a greater idea of what to wear and create a negative effect on their lives.

Heros Today

Everyone heard about Virginia Tech and the mass shooting by a psychotic loner. We heard all the batter about the way it was handled and what occurred. But there isn't much talk about the victims or what they saw in the few moments before death, and the heroes that arose from this tragic massacre

Liviu Librescu76, an engineering science and mechanics professor at Virginia Tech was one of the heroes on that day. He used himself as a shield to prevent the gunman from coming into the classroom. His students jumped out the windows to survive while he stood in front of the door. Librescu died that day, April 16, 2007. He survived the Holocaust in Europe, and he became a hero in the biggest school shooting in America.

Heidi Gather, her son Nick 12, and two of Nick's friends, crashed into a guardrail on a remote road. The guardrail collapsed, firing the car and its passengers into a icy waters. Gather was trapped in the submerged car with no likelihood of surviving in the cold waters. While Nick's friends tracked down someone for help, Nick was in the frigid waters with his mother, lifting her head above water. Finally, the friends came across an EMT who helped. The mother only suffered with hypothermia and Nick is a hero who saved his mothers life.

Incidences like these are seldom reported on. People today are less likely to make these gestures toward other people and risk there life for others. The acts are greately apprieciated and more occurances should be reported on more.

See Ya Later Alligator!

Was his hair not plumb enough? Or maybe his fan base realized how horrible and out of tone he is. Whatever it was he is finally off the hit reality show American Idol.

Sanjaya Malakar is 17 years old and from Washington, he is noted as the worst singer ever to be on American Idol for 10 weeks. Each week he flew under the radar and passed to the next week. So, was it the outrageous hair styles that kept Sanjaya on American Idol for so long, maybe his style, or even is off key tone?

Some say it was a fan base of Indian-Americans. Others said it was how judge Simon Cowell disliked him and was entertainment to hear Cowell's remarks toward Sanjaya. Thank goodness Sanjaya is off the show, so next week the watchers won't have to use their ear plugs.

Skeletons Found

Fort Meyer, Florida is a place with white- sandy beaches, toasty weather, and blue waters. A place for retirees, vacationers, and spring-breakers along the Gulf of Mexico. However in the wooded areas with large bushy trees, insects, and animal predation; is a great place to store eight dead bodies.

The first skeleton found was on March 23 by a surveyor checking the industrial site for potential development. Seven others were soon discovered in a 200-yard radius. There was no personal items or clothing found and no flesh remained on the bone of what are suspected to be human adult bones. The bodies were not buried but placed on the ground and there is evidence of chew marks of animals on the bodies.

Detectives believe in several different theories, it may have been an old crematory or a serial killers graveyard. Although if it were a crematory, the bodies would have been found in the same area, not expanded on a wide piece of land.

Investigators says it will be hard to depict what killed the people without organs or tissue and it is unclear how long the bones have been there. Experts say it is not uncommon for serial killers to dump their victims on the same site and with the remoteness and the elements in the area the bodies may not have been there for very long.

Whats in Your Pet's Food?

Do you know whats in your pets food? Over the past week, many dogs and cats have become ill and some have died of kidney failure. So what can be the issue? Its the food! How ironic; caring pet owners buy the best foods for their loving animals and it turns out its actually killing them!

The foods that have been infected with the contamination is Menu Foods Inc. Over 90 brands of cat and dog foods have been removed from the shelves and most of the brands are expensive. Such brands include, Iams, Great Choice, Ol' Roy, and Paws.

Company officials have yet to figure out what caused the contamination which has been linked to pet deaths all over the country.

Symptoms of kidney failure are loss of appetite, sluggishness, severe vomiting, fever, and yellow whites of the eyes, gums and belly.

Luckily for my dog Macy(picture), we give her the cheap Dog Chow so thankfully she is healthy. But other dogs and cats aren't so lucky. Numerous healthy, nutritionist, well feed pets are being killed by their foods, and the murderers are the Menu Foods Inc. brands. What is the world coming to when a person can't have a pet without fearing the food the animal eats is contaminated with an unknown substance?

So what's actually in your pets food? Everyone sees the advertisements on the television, with the promise that the product is nutritionist and healthy but is it? In canned food or kibbles you may end up feeding your pet chicken heads, road kills, spoiled or moldy grains, cancerous material cut from slaughterhouse animals, tissue high in hormone or pesticide residues, and even shredded Styrofoam packaging, metal ID tags and minced flea collars.

Dr. Kollath, of the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, headed a study done on animals. When young animals were fed cooked and processed foods they initially appeared to be healthy. However, as the animals reached adulthood, they began to age more quickly than normal and also developed chronic degenerative disease symptoms. A control group of animals raised on raw foods aged less quickly and were free of degenerative disease.

I always hear owners of dogs say not to give their dog table scraps, but its a lot better than the dog food. Steak, chicken, and pork is more nutritious than animals hit by cars laying on the side of the road. Don't you think?

Crazy weather!

This winter was the warmest on record worldwide, with the only snowstorm on Valentine's Day. The climate change is becoming a huge problem in the world today, global warming is taking a toll on the environment. Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said global warming is likely because of human actions.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report said that global temperatures increased .11 degrees per decade, but this increase has been three times larger since 1976.

Some scientist attributed the climate change to the El Nino that occurred last year. El Nino is a periodic warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Lately the ocean surface has begun to cool, as a result the warming will begin to decrease.

Many different theories arise when speaking of global warming. Some scientist feel its going to be a major problem in the future and others believe its a warming period that the earth goes through and as time progressing it will become normal again. Enough information has surfaced in the matter and this warming period is deffinitely because of global warming.

Many scientist say in the years around 2100 the Artic will just be water, no ice will exsist. This creates an environment where polar bears, penguins and other animials that rely on the cold weather to die off.

So the question is what are the steps that the people living on earth need to do to eliminate the problems that gloal warming will bring. Global warming is going to occur, there is no stopping what is going to happen, scientist must create ways to slow the process and the time to start is now.

Too Hyped Up!

We all hear about stories in the media and everyone has to wonder why it is so stressed upon and talked about. I always wondered what creates that media? After awhile of thought I decided its all entertainment. From the tragic Anna Nicole death, to my prior blog about Britney Spears, all the way to teens giving a joint to a toddler.

So why is the media hyped up about these different topics? Anna Nicole's death; yes it is singular and horrible, but it was broadcasted for the whole week after on television. Britney Spears, who cares so she shaved her head, give her a break. The teens giving a joint to a toddler is terrible and alarming however, pot smoke is just as bad as second-hand cigarette smoke.

The answer...Americans are invested in entertainment. The news coverage is fluffy on most occasions and though when covering on these topics they were not covering real news for example, most people didn't hear about a torso found in a suitcases along the Long Island border. Nope, none of the national or local news will even talk about it.

My thought is the owners of the broadcasting station don't want to alarm Americans about the different dangers in the world. Most citizens desire to hear about ways to lose weight, celebrity lives, obesity, and things that affect their lives. Other issues aren't reported on and the public lacking the knowledge.

I'm not saying Americans are self-centered and all we care about is ourselves but lets face it, news today isn't knowledgeable, its mostly fluff. Americans are more worried about who's going to be the next American Idol than whats going on with the Scotter Libby Trial, or when President Bush is going to remove the troops from Iraq. It's time for change, its time to know whats going on in America along with other countries.

Oops..She REALLY did it this time!

The pop princess that is noted for her school girl outfit, and hit singles such as "Oops..I did it again" and "Toxic" has hit rock bottom.

Britney Spears walked into a salon and asked the salon owner, Esther Tognozzi to shave off all her hair. When Tognozzi declined and asked her if she was just having a bad day, Spears replied by graping the electric razor and cutting her hair off herself.

With her new do, Spears then went to San Fernando Valley tattoo parlor to make a mark on her wrist- a pair of red and pink lips. Spears also has a tattoo on the back of her neck.

It is also noted that the pop-singer checked into rehab and a day later checked herself out...TWICE! Although, their are no reports on which rehab it is and nobody is talking.

Her family is trying to help Brit understand that she is in need of help. But it is said that Britney is most worried about what her mother thinks of her new style, of being a bald women with a new tat.

This is a typical tread we are now seeing with people in the spot light. As young actors or singers grow; the media bombards them with rumors or cameras in their faces and they start to crumble under the pressure. They try to differ from the norm and it doesn't work out, so they resort to drug and alcohol addiction. We can not point fingers at Britney Spears because of this, it has been a wild year for her in the media and how she deals with the pressure is up to her. Whether it is the moral thing to do or not.

The Worst Gifts for your Special Someone

Valentines Day is upon us and getting that perfect gift can be difficult. Like it or not, Valentines Day is forced and one is obligated to show their loved one how much they care. Buying a present that fits your sweetheart's personality is challenging. To help avoid the difficulty here are 5 worst gifts to get and what to give your lover instead.

1. A bouquet of Red Roses- Lets face it, every woman likes to get flowers, they are pretty and smell good. Roses are always the easy and sure way to go. Yet, red roses are too dull and plain. To really get that special someone something she will absolutely love, get a bunch of her favorite flowers in her favorite color. This will set the "mood" and it will be personal and heart warming.

2. Assorted Chocolates- Okay, so in assorted chocolates how many do you really like? Usually 3 or 4 right? Getting assorted chocolates isn't always the right way to go. Its full of calories for one thing and most likely your "pumpkin" won't like every one. So which one would you rather get, a cardboard box with 3 out of 21 chocolates he or she likes or something small that they will really like? Instead, get a package of their favorite kind of candy, whether it is Reese's Peanut Better Cups or Sour Path Kids and put it into a nice heart shaped box!

3. Jewelery is a ring shaped box- So we all know the deal, once a woman sees a small box she instantly suspects its an engagement ring. So why do that to her if your really not asking for marriage? Instead get earrings in her favorite gem and wrap it in a bigger box so she doesn't get the wrong idea.

4. Appliances- A microwave, toaster oven, or a yogurt maker- it is not going to cut it. If he wanted it that badly he would go out and get it himself. Nobody wants something attached to an electric cord on Valentines Day! The only exception is if its an Ipod or a digital camera with a picture of the couple or your "song." Get your significant other a pair of massaging slippers or if you want to go bold, a helicopter ride.

5. A tie- It's hard to believe but women do have a harder time picking out Valentine's Day presents because there aren't many choices for men as for woman. Ties can be a bit boring unless your man wears a tie religiously. So if your man is not into dressing up, go a little further into the menswear and get him a scarf, or a hat. Its more casual than a tie and a sure win!

My Favorite Super Bowl Commericals

Commercials for this years Super Bowl XLI were only broadcasted if the advertiser wanted to pay $2.5 million. I know the only reason I like to watch the Super Bowls is to get a chuckle out of the things people come up with to sell a product. My favorites are what follows:

5. Nationwide Mutual Insurance "K-Fed" - Kevin Federline goes from King of hip-hop to putting french fries in a box at a fast food joint in a blink of an eye. It gets the point that "life comes at you fast" slogan. The irony is after splitting up with the famous Ms. Spears and failing at become a hip-hop star he has nothing but wedding pictures and unsigned record deals.

4. Chevy "All male car wash"- Mostly geared toward woman, it was hilarious to see the men and seniors strip down while playing the song "Its getting hott in here" by Nelly and whipping the "sweat" off of the red hott car. The naked guitar-playing cowboy was also a nice touch that kept me smiling.

3. Taco Bell "Lions"- While people at a camp site eat Taco Bell, Lions argue over how to pronounce the name of what they are eating in Spanish. Its not really realistic; why would lions be speaking english let alone argue over spanish? and why would people be eating Taco Bell in the middle of Africa? However the way the lions were arguing over how to pronounce the product "sexier" was really cute and funny.

2. Budweiser "Dalmatians"- The adorable white dog gets booted out everywhere from the resturant by the waiter to the alley way by a feirce dog and is jealous of the nobal dalmatian in the parade. Then fortunitly he gets splashed by mud and looks like a damatian, and life suddenly gets better and jumps right up in the parade with the other dog become the "king" of the parade. I have a soft spot for dogs, it was cute and funny and mottoed the "king of beers" slogan pretty well.

1. Snickers "the Kiss"- I don't know who watched this commerical and didn't like it. One guy starts to eat a snickers bar and the other one starts eating it from the opposite side and simlar to the Lady and the Tramp Disney movie they meet at the middle with a kiss. After realizing what they have done they instantly do something manly and pull their chest hairs. It was halarious and one of the best commericals on.

The Career Builder commericals also need to be mentioned they were quiet funny also, however I don't know who would hate their jobs so much to jump off a cliff, want a promotion so badlyt they fight co-workers, or go to an interview and getting harrasted by their boss.

A little too late!

It's the 21st century people. Does everyone know that? Technology by now should be well advanced and coverage; whether it is television, news, or cellphone should be widespread and everyone should have access. Well don't think too fast, a man died because their was a lack of cellphone service in the Adirondacks along an isolated highway.

Alfred Langer, 63 and his wife Barbara, 59 were on their way home from a wedding when they veered of the road and became hidden by trees. Their injuries were so severe they could not move from their smashed car. At 1 A.M, when the crash took place the temperature was below zero. A state trooper finally found the couple after 32-hours yet it was too late. Barbara had sat helplessly with a broken back and frozen toes and watched her mate die of hypothermia.

So why hasn't cellphone towers been built in the Adirondacks? Its because of environmentalist; they want to preserve the land and animal habitat. However with this death in mind, their have been rallies to build a tower. Its sad to think the only reason why the environmentalists finally agreed to the towers was because of a death.

With cellphone towers there will be service throughout the Adirondacks. Therefore, when an accident occurs the individuals will be capable to call 911 and receive help. If the cellphone service was available prior to the incident, the death of Alfred would have not taken place.

Roe vs. Wade Anniversary

This week is the 34th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade; the judicial court decision to have the right of abortion. This creates controversy between the people who are pro-life and pro-choice.

I'm pro-choice. I believe a woman should make her own decision whether or not she wants an abortion. I was not forced into this decision nor did anyone make an impact on my beliefs. I trust woman to make the right decision and do whats right for their bodies.

Abortion is a difficult decision and though I haven't had to make that judgement, I know of a person who has. She spent weeks figuring out what she wanted to do and she finally came up with a conclusion that was best for her. She did not have the mentality, financial-security,or stability to bring a child into the world let alone raise another person, she had an abortion. Nobody interfered with her decision making, not her parents, friend, or boyfriend; it was her decision. Though she might have made the wrong one in some peoples views; she did what she thought would be right for her.

I decided pro-choice because I love babies; I'm a baby person. An infant should be brought up in a home with love, support, and dedication not a home where the parents don't like him and don't treat him well. Women who don't want to be pregnant should not have to be pregnant. I don't believe somebody else should make a drastic decision about your life. Why should a stranger be telling you what to do? Society is always saying to be healthy when your pregnant. The most healthy pregnancy is one where the woman actually wants to be pregnant not one who doesn't care.

At the end of it all, I'm pro-choice because women should have the right to make her own judgement on what is accurate for them.

Greys Anatomy Controversy

The hit TV series Greys Anatomy has the highest rankings on the Nielsen charts. The drama series is in its third season and holding on strong in first place as the number 1 watched televising show. It earned 11 nominations at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Greys Anatomy also won a Golden Globe for best television drama. The top show also had four nominations at the 38th NAACP Image Awards.

However, it is not always sunshine and daffodils on the set of Greys Anatomy. Recently, their has been conflicts with the actors on the hit show. Isaiah Washington (left) who plays the part of Dr. Preston Burke, a heart surgeon who currently is receiving care for a gun shoot wound that hasn't heal correctly and damage to finger muscles; and T.R Knight (right) plays Dr. George O'Malley, the medical intern at Seattle Grace; have become involved in a war of words. Back in October Washington made an anti-gay comment toward Knight, who recently came out of the closet as being gay. This decision; some say, was the pushed because of the comment. Washington jokingly made a remark toward Knight calling him a "faggot." Washington did apologize however, already had created the damage.

There has been discussion about ejecting Washington from the cast yet hasn't been affirmed. For all those avid viewers, Washington just isn't the same person; nevertheless Greys Anatomy wouldn't the be same without the prestigious, inspiring, and thoughtful Dr. Burke.

Making bad name for Cheerleaders

Photographs of cheerleaders engaged in grotesque behaviors surfaced at McKinney North High School in Texas. These photos showed the girls, known as the Fab Five, sharing alcohol beverages, posing in scandalise positions, and in a Condoms to Go store holding a candle shaped like a penis. All these pictures were posted on Myspace.com.

Not only was this scandal about the photos, the Fab Five were proven to be an out-of-control social group that frequently violated the school rules with little or no punishment. They use inappropriate language toward school employees and manipulate others. They are said to be the stereotypical "mean girls."

To make a more complex situation, one the girls mother is the principle of McKinney North. Charges have been made against Linda Theret for preferential treatment. The school district launched a $40,000 investigation. The report helped prompt Theret's resignation on Dec. 21. In result to the absurd behaviors of a few, the schools cheerleading code of conduct will be altered.

Other problems from the cheerleaders include giving their cheerleading coach a chocolate tampon, sending racy text messages to the coaches' husband and other athletic coaches, and talking on a cell phone is class. Because of these inappropriate actions, and the Myspace pictures the cheerleaders received a 30 day suspension. All of the Fab Five have either quit or been kicked off the squad. One defended herself by saying that if it was such a problem, the school should have said something when the girls were freshman and not waited until their senior year.
The way these girls conduct themselves is stereotypical for the way people see cheerleaders. When some think of cheerleaders, an individual would assume that the athelte is popular, stuck-up, and self-absorbed. The media portrays this to be true. In movies, TV shows, and citcoms the cheerleader is the ditsy, blond type, who are football player's girlfriends. In the past, this was accurate; the most popular girls were cheerleaders and everybody wanted to be one. However, times have changed and cheerleaders do not have the perfect life as it was once said. Therefore, the Fab Five create a bad name for the remaining cheerleaders in the US and provokes more people to believe this stereotype to be true.

Was it the right thing to do?

Saddam Hussein, former dictator of Iraq was trialed and sentenced by the people of Iraq. The Iraqis decided to give him the death penalty and hang him. Some would think the Iraqi people would celebrate the end of the murderous dictator, Saddam. Yet, many Iraqis are rioting and starting violence over the hanging and removal of Saddam from power.

The Iraqi people do have a reason to be upset at the US. At the moment, they have a bigger problem on their hands than the death sentence to a brutal dictator. A foreign nation invaded their country and is now sending more troops to protect the people from themselves.

Controversy is over America's involvement and what they should have done. The US did capture Saddam and a number of people believe the US government should have delivered the sentencing. Yet, Saddam's origin is Iraq, and he performed many unruly activities against the people in the nation.

Only a select few can tell another why America invaded Iraq, but currently we; Americans, are trying to create peace within Iraq and trying to help them create a stable government. An aspect of their government is capital punishment. The group of people that now govern the country decided to hang Saddam. It was not a US decision to sentence him with the death penalty nor did the US provoke it.

Was this a good sentence for Saddam? Did his death sentence create a turning point or change the war? The hanging of Saddam led to more violence, and another reason for the Iraqis to be angry with Americans. Killing Saddam didn't bring back all the people he brutally killed by gassing of tormenting them. Now, the troops in Iraq are having a harder time controlling the people. All the hanging did was create more chaos and agony. The war that was once said to be a quick and easy, has turned into a greater situation where the US made a worst problem then there was prior to the invastion.